Caught in the Cat's Claws
by cnaheartsbotdf
Summary: It's been 10 years since Kyo's mother passed. He's having a rough time, and Yuki comforts him. What happens when the cat finally catches the rat, but in a completely different way than he intended? What will Yuki do when he realizes he doesn't mind being caught? WARNING- MxM pairing, references to traumatizing events, and suicidal talk. Reviews would be appreciated, a lot.
1. Chapter 1: Frustrated

**This will be experimental. If I get good reviews and feedback over the first chapter or two, then it will go further. Also, please excuse any crappy writing and my absence this summer. I existential crisis-ed and it sucked. I'll try to be on here more again. :)**

**THEY ARE OOC! I'll try to keep them mostly in character, but I have to have them OOC for the story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim rights to Fruits Basket. All rights belong to Natsuki Takaya.**

**Chapter One: Frustrated **

The day was almost over. Kyo was happy for that. It meant going home and hiding from people and conflict. He was tired and tempted to just get up and leave his last class. He knew he'd get in trouble for it, and he wanted to avoid any and all conflict

Yuki sat in class, studiously taking notes, like a good student. Kyo sat at the back of the classroom, ignoring everything and waiting for the bell. He absently tapped his pencil against his knee watching the clock. When the room went eerily quiet, his eyes snapped to the front of the classroom, realizing the teacher must have asked him a question. A few students chuckled as the teacher stood expectantly at the front of the room. The cat scoffed and looked away again. Yuki refused to look back with everyone else because he knew that if he saw Kyo, he'd know something was wrong. They were not friends, so Yuki didn't want to feel sorry for him.

The teacher sighed and asked someone else to answer. After class was over, Kyo rushed from the room. Yuki slowly gathered his things as Tohru approached him.

"Uhm, Yuki?"

He turned to her with a smile. "Hey Tohru. Is something the matter?"

She shook her head and looked down. "I'm not sure. Does Kyo seem off lately?"

The rat huffed. "Isn't he usually?"

She gave him a dirty look. He put his hands up, as if surrendering.

"Alright, alright. What do you mean?"

"Like- I don't know. Like something is on his mind. Something serious."

Yuki thought for a moment. "Yeah, I suppose. Being the cat usually comes with that though."

"But Yuki, what if being the cat has nothing to do with it?"

The silver haired boy shoulder his bag. "Ask Shigure. Maybe he's noticed."

She nodded slowly, offering a small smile and they left for home.

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.

.

When they arrived, they found the house dark. Tohru called out, but she received no answer. She went into the kitchen and turned on the light.

"Yuki!"

The other teen entered the room, thinking she'd found something horrid, but was relieved to see she had found a note from the dog.

"_Hello! I do apologize for not being home to give my lovely Tohru a welcoming hug, but I have been whisked away for an important adventure. I will return in the morning. Good day!"_

Yuki snorted. "Either Shigure is hiding from his editor to play a cruel trick, or Aya dragged him off for some annoying purpose. Whatever happened, he isn't here. Stupid cat seems to be gone too. Do you need any help with dinner?"

She looked around. "Hmm, no I think I should be alright. I might walk to the store to pick up a few ingredients."

Yuki chuckled. "Well, don't pick up too much or you won't be able to get it all home."

Tohru blushed and nodded. They both went upstairs to change out of school clothes and go about their afternoons. Tohru went to the store and Yuki went outside to his garden. He walked slowly, enjoying the sun and warm breeze. As he neared his garden, he saw feet. The closer he walked, the more he saw of the mystery being. He saw familiar cargo pants.

Yuki stood by Kyo's feet, staring down at the cat, who was apparently sunbathing. He cleared his throat, causing the orange haired teen to crack one eye open and look up at him.

" 'the hell do you want?"

"Uhm, you're in my garden. Why?"

"'Cause."

"Because…?"

"It's away from people, away from the house. Do your thing, I'm not in the way."

Yuki sighed and realized he'd waste too much time if he kept arguing. He needed to weed or the pesky things would overrun everything he'd worked for. He knelt in the grass and put on his gloves and began to yank the intrusive plants from the earth.

After a while, Kyo sat up and watched him. Yuki sat back and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"What?"

The cat shrugged, and the silver haired boy noticed that Kyo was pale and had circles under his eyes.

"Kyo, are you okay?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"You don't look like you. Your pale. I was just asking."

Kyo ran his hand through his hair. 'I'm not."

Yuki looked at Kyo. "Not?"

"Not okay."

Yuki furrowed his brow in thought before it hit him. "It's been ten years."

Kyo closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He started taking deep breaths. Yuki stood and walked over to him before crouching again.

"Hey, when was the last time you ate? Or slept?"

"Couple days."

Yuki stood up once more and grabbed Kyo's upper arm, pulling him to his feet.

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.

Once back to the house, Yuki made Kyo go upstairs, with the rat following behind. He watched as Kyo quickly changed into shorts and laid on his bed. He looked tense. Yuki walked further into the room.

"Roll over?"

"Why the hell do you want me-"

"Just do it!"

The cat eyed him warily before doing as he was told. A second later, he felt the bed shift as Yuki sat next to him. The rat probed up his spine gently.

"What are you doing?"

"You're too tense." He began to massage Kyo's shoulders. "If I can get rid of some of these knots you might sleep a little easier. And this doesn't leave these walls."

"Whatever." His voice was muffled as he had buried his face in his pillow.

A few silent moments passed as, and as the knots loosened themselves, Kyo felt more relaxed than he had the few weeks.

"Yuki?"

"What?"

"Uh, thanks."

"Yeah."

They heard the door downstairs and Tohru's voice calling out to see if anyone was home.

"I'm gonna go see if she needs help. Try to take a nap. One of us will get you for dinner."

Kyo nodded and rolled onto his side. Yuki stood and walked downstairs.

**That's it for chapter one! Let me know what you guys think! Like I said before, I'll post another chapter before I decide if the feedback is enough to keep this story going. If not, I'll do one conclusion chapter. SO PLEASE REVIEW! I have a lot of ideas. **


	2. Chapter 2: Questions

**So Here's chapter two! Hope you guys like it?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim Fruits Basket. All rights belong to Natsuki Takaya.**

**Chapter Two: Questions**

Yuki was downstairs, sitting at the table watching as Tohru finished dinner. When she entered the dining room with the food he stood. She gave him an odd look.

"I'm just gonna go get Kyo down here, don't worry." He offered a small smile before walking up the stairs.

When Yuki opened the door, he saw Kyo curled up facing the wall, snoring quietly. The rat walked over and looked down. He hated to admit it, but Kyo looked adorable when he was asleep. He gently tapped the cat on the shoulder, startling him. Yuki chuckled and Kyo glared up at him.

"Dinner's ready."

With that, Yuki left the room.

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.

After dinner, Kyo immediately went back up to his room to try to sleep again. He tossed and turned the rest of the night, not able to fall back into the blissful slumber he'd been given before dinner. He growled to himself and sat up. He ran his hand through his tousled hair and stood up. He grabbed his hoodie and climbed out his window and up to the roof. He laid on the cool metal and watched the sky grow brighter with sunlight.

When he heard rustling in the house, he knew that the other two were getting up for breakfast and school. He sat up and slowly made his way down from the roof. As soon as his feet touched the floor, Yuki opened his door.

"Don't you knock?! What if I was naked?"

"I've seen you naked before Kyo." Yuki crossed his arms. "Are you going to school?"

The cat shrugged. "Didn't know I had a choice. I'd go crazy being home. At least school makes me have to focus."

Yuki stepped into the room. He shut the door and looked at Kyo. "You didn't sleep again."

"So." Kyo looked at the floor, feeling odd at the rat's concern over him.

He heard a sigh and looked at Yuki through his hair.

"Do you want me to get you something? You could call Hatori and get sleeping pills."

"I don't like sleeping pills. They make me weird even after they were supposed to wear off."

Yuki could tell that Kyo wanted to say something else.

"What is it Kyo?"

"What?! Nothing!"

"Why don't I believe you?"

Kyo rubbed the back of his neck and looked sheepishly at the rat. "It's weird."

"You're weird. It's not new."

Kyo rolled his eyes. He sat on his bed with a yawn.

"Do you want me to rub your shoulders again?"

"Maybe."

Yuki walked over to the orange haired teen and sat beside him. He made a motion with his hand and Kyo turned his back to the other teen.

Yuki began to rub knots as hard as cement from Kyo's shoulders. After a moment, he sighed.

"You need to talk to someone. All of your pent up fear, regret, pain, whatever it is that's bugging you, is going to just keep making this worse."

"No one wants to listen to me bitch. I don't get why you're doing this."

"Despite what you may think, I don't hate you. You just piss me off. A lot. I may not relate to what you've been through, but I could at least help if you'd let me."

Kyo was silent a moment. "You'd actually want to listen to me?"

"Would it help?"

"I don't know. No one's ever tried to help, except sensei."

"Well, what's keeping you so tense right now? Is it your mom?"

"Yeah. It's been ten years. Everyday I just remember the funeral. What everyone said. How they were all blaming me. I don't think that they realized that I understood what they were saying because I was so young. I know she killed herself. And I know it was my fault."

"Kyo, if she chose to do that, it wasn't on you. Our family had no right to say that."

"But it was. If I wouldn't have been born the cat, she'd be alive."

"You can't choose what you are or what you're born into."

"She hated me."

"I don't think she did. I think that she really did love you, she just wasn't able to handle what our family said to her because she was the mother of the cat. Is that why you're always so angry? Because you think everyone hates you for being the cat?"

"I hate me for being the damn cat! It just makes sense that everyone else would too! Why don't you?" He turned around and looked at Yuki, tears threatening to form. "Why are you doing this? Is the rat trying to trick the cat again?"

Yuki looked offended. "I don't hate you because I don't truly know you. Not the you that is deeper than the cat. I want to help you. I don't know why, but I do. Just because you think everyone hates you, doesn't mean that everyone has to treat you like shit okay?"

Kyo's head fell. He wrapped his arms around his waist. "I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that."

Yuki put his hand on Kyo's shoulder. He was about to say something else when Tohru hollered up to them that breakfast was done.

"Just, don't assume that everyone wants to hurt you okay? Get ready and come down to breakfast."

He stood and walked quietly from the room. Once Yuki slid the door shut once more, Kyo felt tears stream down his cheeks and he buried his face in his lap.

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The three of them were walking to school when Haru and Momiji ran up to them. Haru escorted Tohru away from the other three, causing Yuki and Kyo to share confused looks. Kyo rolled his eyes and the hyperactive rabbit grabbed his arm and tried to get him to guess something.

"I don't care! Damnit Momiji, let go of my arm."

"Waah! Yuki, Kyo's yelling at me!"

Yuki chuckled and ruffled Momiji's blonde hair. "He's grumpier than normal. I'd let him alone today."

Momiji sniffled. "Okay. Will you guess what we're excited about?"

Yuki listed a few different things, that were apparently all wrong.

"Haru and I talked to Hana and Uo and we're taking Tohru to a secret weekend getaway! But you and Kyo can't go!"

Yuki raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with me and Kyo, hmm?"

"Nothing, but Haru didn't get to go last time, neither did Tohru's friends."

Yuki nodded, glad that he and Kyo would be alone. The rat wasn't done trying to get it through Kyo's thick skull that he could be happy.

They arrived at school, and the rat was distracted by the thought of actually being alone with Kyo.

**So yeah. What did you guys think? Should I keep going? Leave me a review and let me know!**


	3. Chapter 3: Truth

**I was gone forever again! I'm so sorry! I hope this chapter will make up for it! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim Fruits Basket. All rights belong to Natsuki Takaya.**

**Chapter Three: Truth**

When they got home from school, Tohru excitedly told Shigure about the planned weekend. Shigure decided that while Tohru was away, he'd go to the Sohma estate and annoy Hatori. Yuki sat and listened to all of the planning, thinking of how utterly alone he and Kyo would really be. He knew that Kyo would probably get really frustrated and fight, but Yuki wouldn't fight back. He needed Kyo to see that he was on his side.

After they all had finished their dinner, Kyo disappeared to the roof again. Yuki waited in the cat's room until said cat decided that he wanted to try to sleep again. It was only an hour before the orange haired teen came creeping back through the window. The room was dark and he didn't notice the rat sitting on his bed.

Kyo's back was to his bed. When Yuki cleared his throat, Kyo jumped and spun around, a look of shock on his face.

"How the hell did I not notice you? What do you want?"

"To talk about everyone being gone this weekend. We can talk without interruption."

"Oh… I guess you're right."

"Well, they're all leaving in the morning, so we can go get breakfast somewhere. We could eat there or bring it back or whatever. Sound good?"

Kyo nodded and Yuki smiled as he stood to leave the room. Kyo touched Yuki's arm before yanking his hand away as if he'd touched fire. Yuki gave him a questioning look. The other teen avoided his eyes and looked at the floor.

"Do you want me to stay?"

Yuki saw Kyo give a small nod. He chuckled.

"Let me go get my pajamas on. I'll be back in a minute. 'Kay?"

"Yeah…"

Yuki left the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. He walked quickly to his room and changed into his sleep clothes. As he moved back towards the cat's room, he heard Tohru on the phone in her room. She sounded extremely excited about the weekend. And being Tohru, she also sounded overwhelmed at her friend's generosity.

Yuki smiled as he knocked gently on Kyo's door.

" 's open."

Yuki went in and saw Kyo sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Want another back massage?"

"Do you mind?"

"No. Not if it will help."

Kyo nodded and laid on his stomach.

_This is just because of the years since his mom. After he's back to normal, he's gonna act like this never happened…. Hell, I probably will too._

With that thought running through his head, Yuki sat beside Kyo and forced the tense muscles away.

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When Kyo woke up the next morning, he felt more relaxed than he had in weeks. Months even. He startled himself, however, when he realized he wasn't sleeping alone. He nearly fell out of his bed. When his jolt seemed to have not awoken the rat, he was glad. Yuki was just like Aya. Beautiful, though Kyo would never say that outloud.

After a moment, he timidly poked Yuki's cheek, fearful of his morning temperament. He didn't particularly feel like starting his day by flying through the wall. When the rat didn't respond, he poked him a bit more forcefully, earning a soft sigh and Yuki snuggling into the blankets.

"Yuki?"

"Hn, what?"

His voice was barely audible.

"Comfortable?"

Yuki nodded, making his hair messier.

"Who knew the prince wasn't such an elegant sleeper."

"Shut it." Yuki pushed at Kyo, but not with much force. To anyone else, they would've seen flirting, but Kyo just saw that Yuki wasn't going to murder him.

They could both hear people moving about downstairs.

"Well, I suppose we should probably go down there, huh?"

Yuki nodded while sitting up. He stretched then looked down at Kyo.

"You realize that unless you move, I'll be forced to climb over you, right?"

"Yeah yeah, I'm going." Kyo moved and stood up, stretching so far back that his back popped.

Yuki chuckled, stepping around the cat.

"How do you feel?"

He shrugged in response. He was about to say something when Momiji's voice echoed up the stairs to them. He was calling for them.

"Come on Kyo. If we don't hurry, he's gonna come get us."

Kyo shuddered and walked to the door. Yuki followed close behind as they walked down the stairs. As they entered the dining area, they saw Momiji, Haru, Uo, and Hana all standing around.

"Took ya long enough." Kyo glared at Uo.

"Excuse the hell outta me for wanting to sleep."

Uo just smirked. Tohru looked a little worried that Kyo might start yelling at her for it being too damn early, but to her relief, and surprise, he didn't. They all chatted until the taxi came for Tohru and the others. Yuki and Shigure waved as the car drove off. Kyo stood by them just watching. He wished he wasn't so closed off sometimes but he felt like he'd be judged for waving too.

When the vehicle was out of sight, the three of them went back inside. Kyo wandered back to his room and Yuki watched him with sad eyes.

"Yuki."

The rat turned to look at the older Sohma.

"What's going on with him? Do you know?"

"Yeah. It's been ten years."

The dog looked down. "That explains it."

"Yeah. He's not handling it well at all."

"Maybe I should stay then."

"No, I'm gonna talk to him. I already have. He won't fully open up if you're here. It's better if you go."

Shigure nodded. "I'll get my stuff together. I'll be out of here within an hour or so."

Yuki nodded once, before walking up the stairs to get dressed for the day.

Short, but hey at least it's a chapter right? Right? I'm sorry for disappearing all the time, but life, ya know. . . SO yeah! Review, let me know what you thought. Keep going, stop, I need feedback. thanks for reading :D


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